The invention relates to an improved apparatus for conveying granular material to the input section of a main conveyor.
It is known to use transfer conveyors to convey granular material from a remote location to the input section of a main conveyor. Transfer conveyors are typically shorter than main conveyors and are often adapted to reach under bottom dumping bins or trucks.
Freestanding transfer conveyors are known. Such conveyors are generally manually positioned such that the input section is placed in the desired location and the output is positioned such that granular material discharged therefrom is deposited into a desired location, i.e. the input section of a main conveyor. It is known to provide such conveyors with wheels to facilitate movement. However, when entirely disconnected from the main conveyor, difficulty may be encountered in positioning freestanding transfer conveyors to ensure the material is discharged into the main conveyor without spillage. Further, such conveyors may not be easy to rotate about the input section of the main conveyor without disrupting alignment between the discharge section of the transfer conveyor and the input section of the main conveyor.
It is also known to permanently attach transfer conveyors to main conveyors. Typically, such transfer conveyors will have an operating position where granular material discharged from the transfer conveyor is deposited into the input section of the main conveyor and a transport position wherein the transfer conveyor is positioned along the main conveyor. One such conveyor is shown in Canadian Patent No. 2,196,475 which discloses a transfer conveyor connected to a main conveyor by means of a connection assembly mounted on a track positioned above the main conveyor. The connection assembly permits rotation of the transfer conveyor about the input section of the main conveyor when in operation. However, the transfer conveyor cannot easily be disconnected from the main conveyor for operation in a freestanding position.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved transfer conveyor. According to a broad aspect of the invention, the invention provides a transfer conveyor for transporting material from a feed point to an input section of a main conveyor, said transfer conveyor comprising a feed end; a discharge end; a means for conveying material from the feed end to the discharge end; and a connector for detachably and rotatably connecting the transfer conveyor to the main conveyor such that the feed end of the transfer conveyor may be moved about input section of the main conveyor while maintaining the flow of the material from the discharge end of the transfer conveyor into an input section of the main conveyor.
According to another aspect of the invention, the transfer conveyor includes a nozzle portion mounted on the discharge end thereof and the connector comprises a male member mounted to the nozzle portion and a female member mounted within the input section of the main conveyor, the female member adapted to releasably receive the male member. Additionally, the connector is adaptable such that, at each operation angle of the main conveyor, the feed end of the transfer conveyor may be moved about the input section of the main conveyor while maintaining the flow of the material from the discharge end of the transfer conveyor into an input section of the main conveyor.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the transfer conveyor is provided with an undercarriage that is moveable between a compact storage position and a support position wherein the discharge end of the transfer conveyor is positioned at an elevated position relative to the feed end such that the transfer conveyor is operable as a stand-alone conveyor.
According to final another aspect of the invention, the transfer conveyor includes transfer connectors for mounting the transfer conveyor on the main conveyor in a transport position wherein the transfer conveyor is mounted under the main conveyor.
The invention provides an improved transfer conveyor that can be connected to the input section of a main conveyor such that material discharged from the transfer conveyor is deposited into the input section of the main conveyor. The connection between the main conveyor and the transfer conveyor permits the transfer conveyor to be rotated about the input section of the main conveyor without disrupting the alignment between the transfer conveyor output and the main conveyor input. Furthermore, the transfer conveyor can be disconnected from the main conveyor and operated in a freestanding position. Moreover, the transfer conveyor can be mounted on the main conveyor for transport.